1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a coin wrapping machine which discriminates, counts, and wraps coins.
Priority is claimed on Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-275053, filed on Oct. 6, 2006, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of Related Art
Coin wrapping machines discriminate the genuineness, denomination and the like of loose coins. Based on the results of discrimination, only a specified number of coins (usually 50) of only a specified denomination are stacked from among the genuine coins. The stack of coins is wound in wrapping paper to obtain wrapped coins. In order to accurately conduct the discrimination, the coin wrapping machine recorded in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication Number 2001-143121 photographs the coins, and conducts discrimination based on the detected images.
There are coins which are issued by multiple issuing countries, which form patterns on the front face common to all issuing countries containing the coin denomination information, and which form patterns on the rear face unique to each issuing country (Euro coins). The coin discriminating apparatus recorded in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication Number 2000-306135 photographs the front and rear faces of the coins in order to sort such coins by denomination and by issuing country, and conducts discrimination based on the detected images of both faces.
Conventional coin wrapping machines stack and wrap coins of the same denomination. Accordingly, they do not assume the occurrence of multiple types of coins which form a pattern on the front face common to all issuing countries containing the denomination information, and which form a pattern on the rear face that differs by issuing country, as with the aforementioned Euro coins.
Consequently, it is problematic to use conventional coin wrapping machines in order to wrap such coins by denomination and by issuing country. For example, in the case where a stack of coins is wrapped with the two end faces of the stack of coins are both the rear faces of the coin, there is no problem, because the issuing country is known from the pattern of the rear face, and the denomination is also clear from the size, color and the like. However, in the case where a stack of coins is wrapped with the two end faces of the stack of coins are both the front faces of the coin, although the denomination is known from the pattern of this front face, the issuing country of the coin is unclear.